I’m asking because I’m reading very conflicting opinions online. Some say it’s a very rare risk while others claim it does not ever happen. I found only one article on Google Scholar stating it as a side effect but was completely reversible. I already had one procedure but I’m scheduled to have five more and I’m concerned.
April 4, 2022
Answer: Hypopigmentation from Fractional CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing Hypopigmentation is a lightening of the normal skin color. It can occur for many reasons and can be permanent. When seen after laser skin resurfacing, it is typically due to damage to the melanocytes (pigment producing cells) which do not grow back. Fully ablative CO2 laser skin resurfacing of the face in the 1990's commonly caused hypopigmentation that left an obvious line of demarcation along the jawline. I published an article in the medical literature in 1996 describing this complication. It is because of this complication and others that led to the "fractionation" of laser beams now employed in modern lasers. So these days, it is very uncommon to see true hypopigmentation with Fractional Laser Resurfacing. However, it can still occur especially in cases in which too much energy was applied or too many passes were performed.
Helpful
April 4, 2022
Answer: Hypopigmentation from Fractional CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing Hypopigmentation is a lightening of the normal skin color. It can occur for many reasons and can be permanent. When seen after laser skin resurfacing, it is typically due to damage to the melanocytes (pigment producing cells) which do not grow back. Fully ablative CO2 laser skin resurfacing of the face in the 1990's commonly caused hypopigmentation that left an obvious line of demarcation along the jawline. I published an article in the medical literature in 1996 describing this complication. It is because of this complication and others that led to the "fractionation" of laser beams now employed in modern lasers. So these days, it is very uncommon to see true hypopigmentation with Fractional Laser Resurfacing. However, it can still occur especially in cases in which too much energy was applied or too many passes were performed.
Helpful
